MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Relations between Germany and France could become further strained as they both vie for military leadership in the European Union, Alexander Kamkin, a specialist in Germanic studies, political scientist, and associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, wrote in an opinion column for TASS.
"At a meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron, the latter attempted to shake hands with his German counterpart, but Merz pointedly ignored him. What was the reason for this disdain? One hypothesis is the dispute over military leadership in the European Union," the expert noted.
According to Kamkin, Paris is concerned about Germany’s ambitions to become Europe’s military guarantor and the very dynamics of German military development. "The German military-industrial complex is indeed growing quite rapidly. Rheinmetall, Renk, Quantum, and others are building or planning to open new factories in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Germany itself. Cooperation with Scandinavian countries, the UK, and elsewhere is intensifying. At the same time, the experience of the Ukrainian armed forces is being actively utilized—we are increasingly seeing a situation where it is no longer European instructors who are training Ukrainian soldiers, but vice versa," the expert noted.
Kamkin also recalled that in 2023, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced a sharp increase of the Bundeswehr, and that conscription regulations were changed at the end of 2025. "They haven't yet reinstated universal military service, which was suspended in 2011. However, all young men are now required to undergo a medical examination upon turning 18. Furthermore, they will be required to fill out an extensive questionnaire, including a statement of their political preferences. Critics see this as a curtailment of democratic freedoms and an attempt to weed out disloyal citizens in the event of a potential conflict," the analyst added.
Paris’ concerns
According to Kamkin, extensive efforts have also been launched to militarize the consciousness of the German population as a whole. "In many schools, Bundeswehr representatives conduct characteristic educational talks, and recruitment posters for the armed forces are common on the streets of German cities. And this is not without its excesses. In 2024, the political department of the Bundeswehr even attempted to add more than 30 generals and admirals who began their service in Hitler’s Wehrmacht to the list of heroes of the West German army. Moreover, some of them, such as submarine commander Erich Topp, actually served in the Waffen-SS. After a negative public reaction, the initiative was abandoned, but this is a clear sign of a shift in sentiment in German political circles," the political scientist continued.
According to him, this trend is also being observed with concern in Paris, where fears of German revanchism exist. "I believe that this military-technical standoff between Paris and Berlin led to [French President] Emmanuel Macron’s statement at a meeting with Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to the effect that France was blocking Germany’s initiative to use frozen Russian assets to purchase American weapons for the Ukrainian armed forces. Paris is adamant that defense budgets, including those for Kiev, be spent exclusively within the EU. In doing so, France is openly lobbying for the interests of its own military-industrial complex, escalating the confrontation with Germany. Although, if the money stays ‘home,’ then German manufacturers won't suffer any losses," the expert pointed out.
"So, if we consider the prospects for the next few years, I assume that the contradictions between Berlin and Paris may intensify, also because, in the context of budget deficits and declining industrial production in the civilian sector in both countries, increased investment in the military-industrial complex and its export potential is almost the only way to revive the economy. Objectively, France has greater potential in this area, but Germany clearly has ambitions to become the leader in the militarization of Europe," the analyst concluded.